Garment.



L. J. CRITCHER.

GARMENT.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 17. m7.

Patented Oct. 29, 1918.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

L. J. CRITCHER.

GARMENT.

APPLICATION FILED JULY I7, 1917.

Patented Oct. 29, 1918.

4 SHEETS-SHEEI 2.

Z I J6 M L. J. CRITCHER.

GARMENT.

APPLICAHON FILED JULY 17. 1911.

Patented Oct. 29, 1918.

4 SHEETS-SHEEI 3- L. J. CRITCHER.

GARMENT.

APPLICATION FILED JULY I7. 1911.

Patented Oct. 29, 1918.

SHEEI 4.

[60% J ai iidk LEONA J. CRITCHER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

GARMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented (lot. 29, 1918.

Application filed July 17, 1917. Serial No. 180,977.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEONA J. Carrol-Ina, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city, county, and State of New York, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Garments, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to womens garments and specifically to that type or class of garment designated as a combination garment which generally comprises a skirt portion and trouser portion, said skirt and trousers being interconnected to form a unitary structure.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a combined garment of the general character above mentioned which provides all the freedom of movement of the trouser yet has the appearance of the usual style of skirt worn by women suitable for street wear and also for use as a house garment, bathing suit, athletic garment or the like. My improved garment comprises an outer or skirt portion interconnected with a trouser portion. These parts are so arranged and combined that unnecessary fullness or thickness of material about the Waist is avoided and the garment is provided with means whereby it may be put on or removed without inconvenience.

Another object of the invention is to provide a neat, graceful and perfect-fitting garment of the class referred to which will hang or drape gracefully upon the figure without causing any binding on any port-ion of, the body. My improved garment by reason of its construction affords great freedom of movement to the wearer. a

With these objects, and other objects which may hereinafter appear, in view, I have devised the combination of parts hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

Referring to theaccompanying drawing, forming a part hereof,

Figure 1 is a front elevation of one embodiment of my improved garment as it appears when in use,

Fig. 2 is. a front'elevation of the same,

with the front skirt flap thrown back to'dis- I close construction details,

Fig. 3 is a rear view of my improved garment,

Fig. 4 is front elevation of my improved garment, the same being shown in open position to permit the entrance of the wearer;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4, looking in the direction of the arrows,

Fig. 6 is a front elevation of a modifica tion of my invention,

Fig. 7 is a front elevation of the modification of my invention as disclosed in Fig. (3 with the front skirt flap thrown back to disclose the details of construction;

Fig. 8 is a rear elevation of the modification shown in Figs. 6 and 7 .Fig. 9 is a rear elevation of the trouser or drawers portion of the modification shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8, and

Fig. 10 is a sectional view on the line 1()10 of Fig. 9, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Throughout the various views of the drawings similar reference characters designate similar parts. i

In the embodiment of my invention as disclosed in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, 1 indi cates the skirt portion of the garment, provided at its upper edge in the usual manner with a waist band 2.

At the rear of the garment, on the inner side of the skirt portion, extending downwardly from the waist band 2, to which it is secured, is a flap 3, having its side edges secured to the skirt portion 1 by the stitches 47. The lower edge of the flap 8 is unsecured to the skirt portion 1 of the garment and the trouser portion 5 of the garment has its upper edge at the rear of the garment provided with snap fasteners 6, or other detachable fastening means, which engage complementary fasteners 7 secured to the lower unsecured edge of the flap or apron 3. This construction affords what is termed a dropseat construction allowing accessibility for sanitary purposes. In order that the upper or seat portion 8 of the drawers may be detached fromthe flap 3 and moved downwardly as herelnbefore mentioned, the sides of the trousers are unsecured to the skirt portion, as indicated at 9 (Fig. 5), but the remainder of the trousers legs, down to the point 10 are secured to the sides of the skirt portion by the seams 4.

The skirt portion 1 extends around to the front of the garment and is, at that part, bifurcated to form the front portions 11 of the upper part of the trousers le 's Thetrousers legs 5 are cut away above the line 10 and this cut away portion is tilled in by the parts 11 of the skirt portion whereby but a. single thickness of material is produced at the upper front portion of the garment and the bifurcated portions 11 form upwardly extending continuations of the legs 5. the trousers by means of the stitches 19.

Below 10, along which the legs 5 aresecured to the portions 11 by stitching 12, the lower portions 13 are secured to the trousers legs 5 and depend downwardly to. produce a skirted effect in the garment.

The parts 13 are shown in the'drawing as being integrally formed with the upper skirt portions 11, but if desiredthe trousers legs need not be cut away, with thecut away portions filled in by the parts 11, but 111- stead the trousers legs can be made to extend, at the front of the garment, clear up to the waist line, in the embodiment of my invention shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, or they may extend clear up to the shoulders in the embodiment shown in Figs. 6 to 10, with the flaps or extensions 13 being separate elements and secured on the line 10 and depending downwardly therefrom.

In the drawings l'have shown thedrawers legs-5 as protruding slightly below the lower edge of the skirt. If desired, of course, the trouser legs can be mademuch shorter so that they are at all times covered bythe skirt portions,-and are, therefore, indiscernible. Furthermore, the lower portion of the trouser legs can be providedwith an elasticto form.knickerbockers, or if desired-may. be leftopen as in mens trousers, or furthermore the trouser legs can bQIHtLClO.

of different material than the skirt so that should at any time thelower portion of the trousers become discernible, the appearance of a petticoat is created.

The contourof the garmentat its front portion 1s like thatof men s trousers and is.

in .likemanner provided with an opening or fly 13? to allow the garment to be'readily puton theawearerr The fly is closed by means of themterengagmg snap fasteners 14:, 15 or the like.

Extending longitudinally of the garment at thefront thereof, and substantially down the central-line of oneof the legportions .5,

is a flap, 16., Thisflap has one of its-longis. tudinal edges secured in place by'the lineof.

stitches 17 and is adapted to; be folded over across-the garment. Adjacent itslupper end and onitsfree edge, the flap; 16 isgprovided with snap fasteners 17 or other detachable fastening means, andthese snap fasteners 17 engage complementary fasteners 18 on the opposite leglof the garment to one side of the longitudinal central ,line,.to hold the flap in its closed position. The

The portions 11 are secured to lower portion of the flap 10 is left unsecured to allow freedom of momment. 1n the drawings 1 have illustrated the flap 16 as being an additional element, added to the garment by means of the line of stitches 17?. If desired, however, the flap 16 may be merely a continuation of either of the parts 11 aswill be readily understood.

F rom- Figs.- 1 and 2 of the drawings the advantages of my improved garment will be readily perceived. InyFig; 2,1 have shown the closure flap 16, drawn back to disclose the trouserportion of thegarment, while in Fig.1, 1 have shown the garment. as-it-appears when in use. ln this figure it will clearly benoted that the flap 16 completely conceals the trousers portion of the garment producing the effect of a single skirtand yet producingthe desirability of a combination garment, the freedom oftrouse-rs and appearance of a skirt and yet providing lightness in weight, no undue thickness of material, freedomof movement of thelimbs of the wearer, and accessibility for sanitary purposes.-

Referring to the embodiment of my invention as disclosed-in 6 to 10 inclusive. There I have shown my invention as applied to a-full length dress. The constructi on therein disclosed is substantially identical with that hereinbeforementioned with respect to the embodimentof my inrention shown in Figs. 1 to .4 inclusive, ex cept that the garment ispro'videdwith an upper portion and isthus supported from the shoulders,

In. this a construction the front, upper portion of thegarment-is,out away, from the neck-bandQO downwardly asat 21 to produce an opening for the entranceof the body of the wearer. Thisopening 21combined with the fiy 13; allows the garment to bereadilyx puton or removed: The closure flap 16, in this embodiment .of any invention extends 1 substantially the 1 full length of the garment and its: detachable" securing means 17 andw18 extend fromthe neckbandQO or the shoulders insteadhof from the waist band A belt 22 is lprovidedon thegarment.

From the foregoing, it .isobviousthat my invention is not to: be restricted tothe exact embodiments herein 1 shown, but broad enough to cover allstruetures coming within (the scope of the annexed claims 1 to cover the lower ends of said trouser legs, and a foldable flap on the garment adapted to fold to conceal the trouser legs at the front of the garment.

2. A garment comprising a skirt, a pair of trouser legs within said skirt, the rear portion of said trouser legs extending upwardly Within the skirt with its upper end detachably secured therein, the front upper portion of the skirt being bifurcated and serving as an upward extension of the trouser legs, the two lower portions of said bifurcated front part of the skirt forming flaps depending downwardly over the lower portions of the trouser legs and a foldable flap on the garment adapted to fold to conceal the trouser legs at the front of the garment.

3. A garment comprising a skirt, a pair of trouser legs within said skirt, portions of said skirt at the front of the garment being bifurcated forming upward extensions of the trousers and flaps depending downwardly over the lower ends of the trouser legs, a fly on said upward extension of the trousers extending downwardly from the waist line of the garment, a flap secured to the inner side of the garment at the rear thereof and extending downwardly below the waist line, detachable fastening means on said flap adjacent its lower edge, coacting fastening means on the upper edge of across the garment and adapted to be detachably secured to the other side.

4. A garment comprising a skirt, a pair of trouser legs within said skirt, portions of said skirt at the front of the garment being bifurcated forming upward extensions of the trousers, other portions of said skirt at the front of the garment forming flaps de pending downwardly over the lower portions of the trouser legs, a flap secured to the inner side of the garment at the rear thereof and extending downwardly with its lower edge below the waist line of the garment, detachable fastening means on said flap, a seat portion on the trousers extending upwardly to meet said flap, detachable fastening means on the seat portion for engaging the fastening means on said flap, a longitudinally extending flap at the front of the garment, said flap having one of its side edges secured to the garment at the front thereof 011 a line to one side of the central longitudinal line of the garment, the free end of said flap being adapted to be detachably secured to the garment on the opposite side of its central longitudinal line.

Signed at the city, county and State of New York, this 16th day of July, 1917.

LEONA J. CRITCHER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

